Apache Cassandra

Website

cassandra.apache.org

Categories

#Databases #NoSQL Databases #Relational Databases #Big Data

Cloud Firestore

Website

firebase.google.com

Categories

#NoSQL Databases #Developer Tools #Databases #Key-Value Database

Apache Cassandra features and specs

• Scalability
  Apache Cassandra is designed for linear scalability and can handle large volumes of data across many commodity servers without a single point of failure.
• High Availability
  Cassandra ensures high availability by replicating data across multiple nodes. Even if some nodes fail, the system remains operational.
• Performance
  It provides fast writes and reads by using a peer-to-peer architecture, making it highly suitable for applications requiring quick data access.
• Flexible Data Model
  Cassandra supports a flexible schema, allowing users to add new columns to a table at any time, making it adaptable for various use cases.
• Geographical Distribution
  Data can be distributed across multiple data centers, ensuring low-latency access for geographically distributed users.
• No Single Point of Failure
  Its decentralized nature ensures there is no single point of failure, which enhances resilience and fault-tolerance.

Possible disadvantages of Apache Cassandra

• Complexity
  Managing and configuring Cassandra can be complex, requiring specialized knowledge and skills for optimal performance.
• Eventual Consistency
  Cassandra follows an eventual consistency model, meaning that there might be a delay before all nodes have the latest data, which may not be suitable for all use cases.
• Write-heavy Operations
  Although Cassandra handles writes efficiently, write-heavy workloads can lead to compaction issues and increased read latency.
• Limited Query Capabilities
  Cassandra's query capabilities are relatively limited compared to traditional RDBMS, lacking support for complex joins and aggregations.
• Maintenance Overhead
  Regular maintenance tasks such as node repair and compaction are necessary to ensure optimal performance, adding to the administrative overhead.
• Tooling and Ecosystem
  While the ecosystem for Cassandra is growing, it is still not as extensive or mature as those for some other database technologies.

Cloud Firestore features and specs

• Real-time Updates
  Cloud Firestore offers real-time data synchronization, which ensures that any changes to the database are immediately reflected across all connected clients.
• Scalability
  Firestore can handle massive amounts of data and traffic, scaling automatically as your app grows without requiring manual intervention.
• Ease of Use
  Firestore provides a simple and intuitive API, which is easy to use for developers, especially those already familiar with Firebase services.
• Offline Support
  Cloud Firestore allows your application to remain functional and retain data even when offline, synchronizing changes when the connection is restored.
• Security
  Firestore uses Firebase Authentication and security rules to protect data, which is crucial for ensuring that your data is safe and that only authorized users can access it.
• Flexible Data Model
  It allows you to store data in a flexible, hierarchical structure which can adapt to various use cases and data requirements.

Possible disadvantages of Cloud Firestore

• Pricing Complexity
  Firestore uses a pay-as-you-go pricing model based on operations and data storage, which can become expensive and complex to manage as application usage scales.
• Query Limitations
  While Firestore supports a range of queries, there are limitations compared to SQL-based databases, such as the lack of JOIN operations and complex queries.
• Data Hierarchy Constraints
  Though it offers flexibility, the JSON-like data structure may require a rethink of data architecture, especially for complex relational data models.
• Vendor Lock-in
  Using Cloud Firestore ties your application to Google's ecosystem, which can make it challenging to migrate to another platform or database in the future.
• Learning Curve
  Developers new to NoSQL or real-time databases might encounter a learning curve, as Firestore’s data modeling and querying concepts differ from traditional relational databases.

Course Intro | DS101: Introduction to Apache Cassandra™

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